Thursday, July 30, 2009

An injured red-tailed hawk rescued from Fordham’s Rose Hill campus on July 30 has died, according to wildlife rehabilitators, who say a necropsy will be performed to try and determine the cause of death.

The New York City Police Department was called to the Rose Hill campus Friday morning to help rescue one of the campus's red-tailed hawks, which was injured near Duane Library. Officers had to wear protective gear to shield themselves from the bird's mate, which was not allowing anyone to get close to its injured counterpart. We'd like to thank Ken McCarthy of Fordham Security for sharing some pictures of the scene.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

A graduate of Fordham's International Political Economy and Development (IPED) Program has been named to a federal initiative that provides assistance to global emerging markets.

Julie Cerqueria, IPED '09, will be traveling to Indonesia in September as part of the Emerging Markets Development Advisers Program (EMDAP). The program is operated by the United States Agency for International Development in cooperation with the Institute for International Education.

EMDAP advisers are selected on the basis of merit through an open, national competition that seeks to identify top graduates from the best MBA and MBA-related programs.

In other IPED news, Xiaoyi Fan, IPED '10, and Holomo Kourouna, IPED '10, passed on their first tries the first level of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) examination.

The New York Society of Security Analysts (NYSSA) sponsored Kourouna's preparation for the CFA exam with a scholarship.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

In a YouTube video posted as proof of her loyalty to Colbert Nation, Associate Professor of Marketing Lerzan Aksoy professes her love for Stephen Colbert.

Her love is one that she shares with Timothy Keiningham, the chief global strategy officer of Ipsos Loyalty and one of the co-authors of her new book, “Why Loyalty Matters.” They even devote a passage in the book to Colbert’s teachings.

Their only regret: that they have only one life each to give to the Colbert Nation.

Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president of Fordham University, threw out the ceremonial first pitch at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday, July 1, before the Yankees’ 4-2 win in the Bronx against the Seattle Mariners.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

The first thing you have to understand is that they are in your ear. I mean, in your ear. You know that trademark female public radio voice? Terry Gross, Barbara Bogaev you’ve probably heard. But what about Nora Young of CBC’s Spark, Jessica Jones or Nora Flaherty who interviewed me today for the Fordham NPR affiliate. Yeah, that voice.

As WFUV's University Producer, Nora acts as host, field reporter and producer of Fordham Conversations, heard Saturday mornings at 7 a.m. Nora's aim is to bring the activities of Fordham University students, faculty, administrators and alumni to the attention of the listening community.

WFUV (90.7 FM, wfuv.org) is a non-commercial, listener-supported public radio station, licensed to Fordham University for nearly 60 years. The station, staffed by 27 broadcast professionals and 70 students, serves nearly 300,000 listeners weekly in the New York area and thousands more worldwide on the Web.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

The Fordham University Alumni Theatre Company's second annual production will be Once There Was a Boy, a new play by Jason Pizzarello, FCLC '04. The production, a collaboration by 30 alumni, including Pizzarello and director Aaron Rhyne FCLC '02, will have a limited engagement from August 1 through 11, 2009, at Pope Auditorium, Lincoln Center campus, 113 W. 60th St.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

The viewing for Casey A. Feldman will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, July 22, at West Laurel Hill Cemetery, 215 Belmont Avenue, Bala Cynwyd, Pa. The funeral will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, July 23, also at West Laurel Hill Cemetery.

A limited number of free Ram Vans to the viewing and funeral will depart from the Lincoln Center campus at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, and at 7 a.m. on Thursday, and will return to campus after the services conclude. Members of the University community who wish to reserve a space should contact the Office of Student Affairs, Lowenstein 408, at (212) 636-6250 or deanofsalc@fordham.edu.

For those who cannot attend the funeral, the service will be streamed live online beginning at 10 a.m. at: www.forever-care.com.

Contributions in Feldman’s name can be made to the Springfield High School Student Theater Workshop, 49 West Leamy Ave., Springfield, PA 19064.

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Casey A. Feldman, 21, a senior at Fordham College at Lincoln Center, was struck by a car on Friday, July 17, in Ocean City, N.J., and died of her injuries later that evening at Atlantic City Medical Center. Casey was the news editor of The Observer, the Lincoln Center student newspaper. She lived in a Philadelphia suburb with her family, and was working at a summer job in Ocean City.

This memorial page is open to Casey's family, friends, classmates and the Fordham faculty and staff who knew her. Feel free to post your memories about Casey in the comments section, or e-mail them to: howe@fordham.edu, along with any images you'd like to share.

Casey was an exceptionally talented news reporter and editor—an inquisitive, dogged and thorough perfectionist. I'd known Casey since she was a freshman and it had been very gratifying to watch her grow. Her news reporting and editing won quite a few awards for The Observer, and she herself had recently been recognized as well—as a finalist in a contest for college reporters who write about religious issues. Casey's death is really a terrible loss to The Observer and to Fordham.Elizabeth Stone, Ph.D., professor of English and communication and media studies, and faculty adviser to The Observer

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Having to work off-campus paid off yesterday for a few employees in Fordham’s Office of Development and University Relations (located on 57th Street) when they were able to rush over to 54th and Broadway after work in time to catch a free, unannounced concert atop the marquis of the Ed Sullivan Theatre by Sir Paul McCartney.

McCartney, who was a guest on Late Show with David Letterman, performed a seven song set for hundreds of New Yorkers who got wind of the event through blogs or Twitter, or who happened to pass by at just the right moment. No surprise that someone on the communications staff had a camera.

A few Pedicab drivers pulled over to take in the show. Yellow taxis and cars, however, were waved on by police, and had to catch Sir Paul’s performance on the televised show later that evening.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

If you think Latin Americans only immigrate to the United States, think again, a scholar said on June 24 at Fordham.

Tomas Calvo Buezas, Ph.D., founder and director of the Center for the Studies of Migration and Racism at Computense University in Madrid, discussed the influx of Latin Americans into Spain at Fordham’s Rose Hill campus in the Bronx.

“Spain has always a country whose citizens have migrated out,” Calvo Buezas said. “That changed because Spain has ceased being a poor country. Today it is a rich country and it supplies jobs.”

Latin American emigrants flock to Spain, mostly to fill positions in child and eldercare, construction and agriculture, he said. Though the majority of Spain’s immigrant workforce is from nearby Morocco, some 40 percent of Spain’s immigrants hail from Latin America, in particular Ecuador, Colombia, Bolivia, Peru, Brazil and Paraguay. Emigrants from the Dominican Republic are also becoming part of Spain’s immigrant workforce, Calvo Buezas added.

There are approximately 5.3 million Latin American immigrants in Spain, he said, approximately a half million to 1 million of whom are undocumented.

Latin American women make up 10 percent of the country’s population, but produce 23 percent of Spain’s children, Calvo Buezas said. Children of Latin Americans are finding success in Spanish public schools because there is little to no language barriers and the education system is well respected, he added.

Immigrants also enjoy a generous health care system in which even the undocumented can seek help at any private or public hospital.

While racism toward Latin American immigrants does exist in Spain, research by his center has found that it is not particularly strong, Calvo Buezas said.

“There is no huge conflict,” he said.

Calvo Buezas’ lecture was sponsored by the Department of Sociology and Anthropology and attended by interdisciplinary faculty members.

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Mentoring Latinas, a support program for local Latina students, has received a $50,000 grant from AT&T.

The donation will enable the program, which is run by the Graduate School of Social Service, to expand its work in helping young Latinas face their unique challenges.

Since 2003, Mentoring Latinas has been linking at-risk middle school students with successful Latina college students. The collegians provide guidance and assistance, and inspire the girls to pursue higher education. With the AT&T grant, the program will extend its services to ninth and tenth graders, adding New World High School in the Bronx to its list of partner schools.

Ellen Silber, Ph.D., program director of Mentoring Latinas, said she is delighted to have received support in such a harsh financial climate.

She stressed the importance of nurturing the potential of this often overlooked population. “They don’t make any noise,” Silber said. “They just quietly drop out of school.”

Mentoring Latinas aims to fight the negative stereotypes of Latinas, which are internalized by girls and contribute to low self-esteem and a lack of belief in their abilities, she said.

Silber has seen substantial successes achieved by Mentoring Latinas, evident in the girls’ increased self-esteem and bicultural adjustment, she said. Participants interviewed in 2008 also expressed the changes they have experienced through the program.

“I participate more in class; I’m not shy to raise my hand. I’m doing better in school, in math,” one girl said.

“The program makes me want to go to college, be somebody in the future. It makes me believe it,” another said.

AT&T’s grant will help the Mentoring Latinas program impact high school students at a critical moment. Silber said, “In ninth and tenth grade, graduation is closer and the future is closer, so it’s quite urgent.”

Mentors introduce the girls to college campuses, familiarizing them with dorm rooms, libraries and college life in general. The program’s bilingual project administrator, a licensed clinical social worker, also engages parents in dialogues about raising bicultural daughters, understanding the school system and applying to college.

“Here’s a population with terrific creative and intellectual potential that is not getting the attention it needs,” Silber said. “This program is trying. We can’t do it all, but at least we’re trying to make a difference.”

Monday, July 6, 2009

A Spanish-language book on theology by Claudio Burgaleta, S.J., assistant professor of theology and coordinator for Latino Studies in the Graduate School of Religion and Religious Education, is one of the top five Spanish Language Catholic best sellers, according to the Catholic Book Publishers Association (CBPA). Manual de la Teologia para los Católicos de Hoy (Liguori Press, 2009) has climbed from 10th place in June to 5th place in July. Each month the CBPA ranks best selling Catholic books in four categories: hardcover, paperback, children’s and Spanish language. The Catholic News Service sends the list to newspapers and magazines; some 670 bookstores also receive the monthly listing.

Father Burgaleta, who is Cuban-born, has a special interest in developing Latino ministry and its history. In 2007 he founded Isidoro, an online resource for Latino/a Ministry.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

The powerful quantitative social science research tool known simply as R was the focus of an international conference held on June 18 and 19 at Fordham’s Lincoln Center campus.

A panel of distinguished speakers from around the world discussed the importance of the R software and graphics system for use by researchers, practitioners, educators and students.

The conference, organized by Hrishikesh D. Vinod, Ph.D., professor of economics, and Frank Hsu, Ph.D., professor of computer and information sciences, highlighted the value R holds for educators in particular, due to fact that it is free, open source, and widely available. R also features some 2,000 specialized packages and is becoming the “lingua franca” for quantitative social science researchers across a wide array of disciplines.

The conference, inaugurated by Robert Himmelberg, Ph.D., dean of the arts and sciences faculty (pictured), concluded with a wine and cheese reception, hosted by the Society of Indian Academics in America (SIAA) and the Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP). More details on the conference are available here.